G8 Summit

Hiked up G8 Summit yesterday. If you’ve never heard of G8 Summit, its the prominent twin-summited peak immediately NE of the junction to Nakiska and Kananaskis Village on Highway 40. Being officially unnamed, it has acquired a number of unofficial names: Wasootch Peak—used by Andrew Nugara in More Scrambles, Patrick—by the eagle counters. We prefer G8 Summit as it overlooked the controversial Summit held at Kananaskis Village in 2002. Rumour has it that marksmen were helicoptered to the top as part of the security effort.

It’s an easy 2.6 km hike/scramble (suitable for strong hikers) with a solid height gain of around 914 m (3,000) to a fabulous viewpoint. Barrier Lake sparkles to the north, Wasootch Creek is below with Wasootch Ridge beyond. Kananaskis Peak is to the southeast, with a prominent, unnamed peak beyond. To the south, you get a birds-eye view of Kananaskis Village and the golf course. Nakiska and Mount Allan are across the highway to the west.

Start at the obvious stream bed just north of the Nakiska junction (small cairn). Follow the stream bed a short distance to where you can pick up a good trail on the left bank. The trail, marked with frequent blazes, leads to the summit. The only place you could go wrong is where the descent route from Kananaskis Peak comes in from the right (see map). As you approach the top, you are hiking up a scree slope with the wall of the ridge to your right. Just before the top of the scree slope there is a notch in the ridge. Scramble through it and follow a good trail up to the summit (40 – 50 m).